By Ellson Quismorio
A Mindanao lawmaker is pushing for the creation of the so-called Maguindanao North, which would effectively divide the current Maguindanao province into two.
Maguindanao 2nd district Rep. Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu embodied this proposal in his House Bill (HB) No. 3405, which also designates the town of Sultan Kudarat as the capital of the envisioned Maguindanao North.
The bill’s explanatory note said that the creation of the province of Maguindanao North will not only expedite the delivery of basic services to the communities but will also improve the efficiency and effectiveness of promoting development and growth at the local level.
“House Bill 3405 is drafted with the primary intention of bringing services to the people efficiently and immediately,” stressed Mangudadatu, who is a former Maguindanao governor.
He further noted that the naming of the municipality of Sultan Kudarat as the provincial capital would be most practical choice due to its accessibility via air, land and sea.
Aside from its viability to all forms of transportation, Sultan Kudarat holds historical significance among Muslims, the lawmaker pointed out.
“The name of the municipality itself is named after Sultan Mohammad Dipatuan Kudarat who ruled the Sultanate of Maguindanao for more than 50 years. For us, he is our hero, a great leader who fought and defended the Islam faith and our domain from foreign invaders. With this, we hold his memory close to our hearts,” Mangudadatu said.
The creation of Maguindanao North would mean dividing the Maguindanao into two provinces, namely, Maguindano North and Maguindanao.
Mangudadatu rationalized that while Maguindanao was vastly rich in natural resources, but has remained considerably poor because government projects and programs were not equally distributed.
”With the establishment of this new province, its constituents will and can expect a more accessible, accountable and responsive local government unit,” Mangudadatu said.
Mangundadatu filed the measure last August 5.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/08/19/mangudadatu-pushing-for-creation-of-maguindanao-north/
